Flash light



F. M. ROSENFELD.

. msu LIGHT. APPLICATiON FILED MAY 2,1918- RENEWED JULY I3, 1921- 1,405,630, Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS K. ROSENFELD, OF ELBEBON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNO'R, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, '10 DIAMOND ELECTRIC SPECIALTIES CORP., OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FLASH LIGHT.

Application filed Kay 2, 1918 Serial No. 231,984. Renewed July 13, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. Rosan- FELD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Elberon, county of Monmouth, State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Flash Lights, of which .the following is a specification.

-My invention relates to portable electric lights and is particularly adapted to use in connection with the type of portable electric lights commonly the current for which is supplied from a socalled dry battery, although it may be applied with important advantages to other types of' portable electric lights.

Flash lights of the type which I have shown as an illustrative embodiment of my invention are now widely used by mechanics, inspectors, such a character as to make it desirable to have both hands free either for the purpose of working upon an object or making notes while the light is being directed at the ob ject operated upon. For such uses it is desirable that the light be supported in a positive but readily detachable manner and that g provision be made for directing the light upon the object.

I have chosen to illustrate my invention in connection with a conventional form of flash light, although it will be understood that my invention may forms of portable electric lights, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the precise construction illustrated and described. v

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of my improved flash light;

Fig. 2 is a top view thereof; Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively, transverse and longitudinal cross sectional views;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view showing the supporting member in the position shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional View of a modified form of my improved device.

Referring to the drawings, the flash light consists of a body portion 1, which inay be of tubular or other suitable form, having end caps 2 and 3 secured thereto by screw threads. The end cap 2 holds the lens 4 in place and the end cap 3 may be provided with suitable means for holding the battery Specification of Letters l'atent.

called flash lights,

and persons whose duties are of p be applied to other P Patented Feb. 7 1922.

Serial no. 484,488.

I contained within the body portion 1 in its proper position. These means may be a spring or other suitable means, which are not illustrated, since the form no part of my resent invention. I p'referably use a tubu ar or curved body portion 1 and attach thereto at a curved portion thereof a sup porting member 5, by means of a rivet or other suitable similar device 6, permitting pivotal motion.

The supporting member 5 is preferably in the form of a spring-hook having a portion 7 which may be engaged upon the belt or a pocket, or other suitable part of the users clothing, The opposite end of the hook 5 is formed with a concave surface, shown at 8, of substantially the same curvature as the curved ortion of the body portion 1 of the flash light to which the Supporting member 5 is attached. The supporting member 5 is preferably made of thin steel or other spring material, so that a spring action is taken advantage of in holding the case to the belt or clothing of the user, and aspring enagement between the supportin member 5 and the body portion 1 of the flash light is secured.

It will be evident that when the supporting member 5 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, theconcave surface of the suporting member coincides with the curved surface of the body portion of the flash li ht so as to tend to hold it longitudinally of the flash light, and the light is thus sup-. ported in a convenient vertical position.

It will also be seen that the flash light may be turned to any desired position, as for instance, the positions illustrated in dotted line in Fig. 1, and that when so turned it will remainin such positions, due to the spring actuated frictional engagement between the supporting means 5 and the flash light case.

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that turning the supporting means with respect to the flash light case produces a flattening of the concave portion 8 of the supporting means, and thus a considerable pressure is exerted upon the case, due to the resiliency of the supporting means. If desired, the relative proportions of j the supporting means and the case may be such that the case will be flexed instead of the supportto support the flash light.

ing means and a spring actuated frictional en agementthus produced.

he supporting means 5 is preferably attached at substantially the center of gravity of the flash light case in order that the frictional engagement of the parts may not be opposed by any substantial turning movement; but will be evident that the supporting means may be attached to any desired portion of the case, provided the frictional engagement be suflicient to overcome the turning movement thus produced.

If the flash light case be made of fiber or other relatively soft material, it is desirable to interpose between the supporting member and the case a suitable surface for receiving the friction of the supporting member and to prevent abrasion of the case and the consequent decrease in holding power. Such a construction is illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein the fiber case 9 has mounted at its inner side a Washer or other metallic member 10, to prevent the rivet 6 from pulling through the relatively soft case, and has mounted upon its outer surface a plate 11' portion 8 of the sup The plate 11 may any suitable way by means of the upon which the concave porting member 5 bears. be secured to the case 9 in and may in fact be secured rivet 6 only, if desired.

It willbe evident that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and that, if desired, other means may be introduced for increasing the frictional engagement between the flash light and the holding means and I therefore do not wish to confine myself to the precise details that I have illustrated 0r described.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a flash light case, a supporting memberhaving one end formed with a concave surface of approximately the same curvature as that of the case, and means for pivotally mounting thesupportingmember upon the case adacent the concave surface.

2. In a device of the kind described, a tubular flash light case, a spring supporting member having a concave surface of substantially the same curvature as that of the case, and means for pivotally mounting the supporting member upon the case adjacent the concave end of the supporting member,

to cause spring actuated frictional engagement between the case and supporting member.

tubular flash light case, a supporting member of spring material having a hook formed at one end thereof and a concave surface of substantially the curvature of the case at the other end-thereof, and means for piv- 3..In a device of .the kind described, a I

otally connecting the supporting member to the case at substantially its center of gravity,

to cause spring actuated frictional engagement between the case and the concave end 5. A flash light comprising a casing and a casing support including a pivotally mounted hook member having a resilient portion of curved cross sectional contour lying between frictional contact surfaces, and a headed pivot passing through said resilient portion and engaging the curved surface thereof between said frictional contact surfaces to press said surfaces yieldingly toward the casing. In testimony whereof, I have signed m name to this specification this 27th day of April, 1918.

, FRANCIS M. ROSENFELD. 

